Run Away, Love
by Amputation
Summary: REWORKED! Misery loves company, but what happens when misery is met with solutions? Past!fic to Present!SemiAU BBTverse
1. Initial Contact

**A/N: **So I decided to rework this story a tad while I brainstormed for the next chapter of TGDR. I fixed a few things and added some new stuff as well, so I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**Run Away, Love**

****Written by Amputation

* * *

She sat in the train station in some random Texas town, alone and wordlessly cursing her stupid life. Mom had yelled at her again, telling—no, ordering her to give Dad another chance. No! She couldn't! Especially not this time! She supposed he was a good man or whatever, but she was tired of that disappointment he always had on his face. It made her feel insignificant and, well, lame. What kid wants to feel that way, she often wondered to herself. Today, though, it was all she could think about. Glancing at the meager backpack by her feet, she let out a sigh as her thoughts drifted to why she'd just up and left her house in Omaha.

Dad's disappointment. Ever since she started growing boobs and getting looks from boys, he'd been disappointed. But the icing on the cake was her grades. Sure, she wasn't great in school, but that didn't mean he had to yell and be all angry with her! She was fifteen for crying out loud and it's not like she was gonna' go off to college super soon! Well, that's not exactly the truth, 'cause it's not like she's bad in school, but she was _popular_. She couldn't be smart _and_ popular! That just didn't happen. She had to give up her love for history in order to keep her friends.

There was no other life aside from school-driven social life. She needed to keep them close 'cause without all her friends around her, she was nothing. She just felt like she needed to be loved, accepted by her friends to make up for Dad's disapproval at home. Nebraska was a ginormous place, but her town was pretty small. To have friends at school and outside school was probably the one thing that would keep a young person known. If they were lost, word would go around the schoolyard and on the so-called 'blacklist' you'd go. No one would talk to you, insults would be thrown around—to your face and behind your back—, and pain like nothing else would take you over. She'd seen it happen.

Not that she wanted the poor girl to suffer like that, but she had no choice! Based on her social standing in school especially, she couldn't do anything. After all, by unspoken rules, no one was to approach her or be nice to her. Penny really, really struggled with it. She wanted to comfort the blacklisted girl and tell her it'd all be okay, and that she'd be her friend forever and ever. The girl, Jackie, had committed suicide two months after her blacklisting. It had really scared Penny. It made her wonder if she should have done something, and question if the isolation could actually make her want to kill herself. She shivered suddenly despite the warm, Texas air, hanging her head as she sat on the bench by the tracks, that single, beat up backpack resting at her feet.

She was actually pretty smart, so why the hell was she fighting with her family? Eventually, she wanted to be an archeologist but her friends were going to be actors and actresses in Hollywood. They all wanted her to go with them and to California after college and get famous. It was a constant pressure on her, and they all said the same things like it couldn't be as hard as schooling, or why don't you want to come with us? She groaned, ripping her purple hair tie out and allowing her wavy, golden locks to fall around her head, obscuring her view of the world around her.

"Fuck this!" she growled.

"Perhaps that is not the appropriate response."

The slightly-cracked male voice shocked her out of her thoughts and she wondered who was talking to her.

She lifted her head to gaze at him and intelligently, she replied, "Huh?"

"You said 'fuck this.' Would it not be better to approach the issue at hand with a clear strategy rather than simply forfeiting without any sort of struggle?"

Penny blinked at the young boy sitting to her left on the bench. His light brown hair was relatively short, but shaggy. His eyes were a blue that seemed way too extreme and—what's the word?—wise for a kid his age. His skin was shockingly pale, but clear without any acne scars or breakouts that she so desperately tried to cover up. She frowned.

"Oh, really? And how the hell would you try to solve my problems? Which are none of your business, really."

He stared at her and she could almost see gears grinding inside his brain. Not so good with words, she guessed. Either that or he wasn't too good at talking in general.

"I'm aware you claim your problems are none of my business, but what is the root of your issues, if you do not mind my asking?"

She huffed, "Fine, since you asked so nice. I ran away from home 'cause I'm sick of my dad treating me like I'm nothing, like some big failure. It's not my fault I can't do well in school!"

"You ran away?"

She threw her arms in the air, "Of course I did! What else am I supposed to do?"

He stared at her with those crazy blue eyes, "Discuss your intellectual difficulties and find help to improve your grades, I would assume."

"No, you don't get it! Ugh! I'm actually really good in school, but I can't be 'cause I'm popular, you know? I'll lose my friends and my friends are everything!"

"Why would you hinder your intellectual ventures merely for superficial companionship? I myself find it unnecessary."

That made Penny pause and she glanced at him with an expression of curiosity. He didn't seem so upset by that fact, "You don't have any friends?"

"I," he paused, fidgeting slightly, "prefer not to use that word. "Colleagues" is far more appropriate in any case."

She wrinkled her nose at him, "You talk weird for a kid."

"I suppose I do. I do not approve of slang."

Penny snorted, blowing a piece of her choppy bangs from her face. She glared down at her Ked-clad feet, "Where I come from, you'd be ignored with the way you're spoutin' off."

"That is acceptable. I work better alone."

Penny gave him a once over and just then realized he was actually pretty cute for a weirdo. The Superman shirt kinda' added to his cuteness. She smiled, "How old are you?"

He replied automatically, "Sixteen."

"Damn, you're a year above me. Will I get all mature and stuff when I'm sixteen too?" she asked, jokingly.

His response was serious, as was his expression, "Perhaps you will if you become studious and dedicated to your work. I do not have many companions in my league for those reasons as many teenagers find it hard to do as I have done."

"Huh. Didn't think of it like that."

He gave her a sidelong glance, "Where are you from?"

"Nebraska."

He looked genuinely shocked, "Nebraska? You are very far from home! Should you not call your family?"

"I—I guess I should. It's been a while," she nibbled her lower lip, suddenly worried about her family back home. Were they really scared?

He nodded, "I would certainly advise that you do so."

Penny stood, leaving the cute boy on the bench and walking across the platform to the lone payphone a bit of a way off, right by the ticket booth. She deposited the needed quarters through the pay slot and dialed. Her breath caught in her throat as it rang.

_"Hello?"_

She gasped; her voice strained with the threat of tears, "Mom?"

_"Penny! Oh, thank Heavens you're alright!"_

"Yeah, look I'm—I'm coming home. I'm really sorry to make you worry—"

_"I'm very upset with you, young lady! But, I'm very happy you're coming home."_

Penny smiled, her eyes welling with unshed tears up, "Can I—Can I talk to dad?"

_"Sure! Hold on, sweetie! WYATT! Pen's on the phone!"_

She held her breath as she heard her dad's heavy footfalls echo over their crappy connection.

"D-Dad?"

That rough voice of his soothed her worries, _"Penny. I'm so glad you're okay."_

"Yeah. Me too. I just wanna' say I'm sorry," she whispered as the tears finally fell.

_"I am too, sweetie. Come home, okay?"_

She smiled, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand to dry them, "Okay."

The payphone beeped to signal her paid time was up, and she told her dad she was gonna' buy another ticket back to Omaha before her connection was cut. Hanging up the phone with a much lighter heart and a smile on her face, she walked back over to her bench and the cute boy, who was looking up at her with interested eyes he so desperately tried to hide.

"They're real happy I called. Thanks for the suggestion."

He nodded to her, his expression solemn and it made her wonder if he ever smiled, "It is for the best that you do not run away; it worries those who care for you."

She nodded back, fully in agreement. When she got back home, she was gonna' set her priorities straight and focus on her schoolwork a bit more to make her Dad happy again. A bell suddenly rang overhead to signal the train going back to the Midwest had arrived. She stood from the bench and pulled on her backpack before turning around and facing the boy who'd been sitting with her.

She looked down at her shoes shyly, "Hey, look, thanks a lot. I really appreciate it."

"Do not trouble yourself with thanks" he replied, dismissing the gratitude although his eyes told her he appreciated it regardless.

She smiled, wanting to repay him. Since she only had enough money for a ticket back, she decided a more unconventional thank you could work. Quickly, she bent at the waist to lean down and give him a chaste kiss. She pulled back from him, blushing as she stared at his stunned expression.

"Thanks again. See you, Superman!" she laughed happily and ran off, leaving her cute Superman shocked on the bench. She was unaware that she had just given Sheldon Cooper his first kiss.

* * *

**A/N: **And so I ask that you please review and let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!


	2. Second Brush with Fate

**A/N: **Same thing as last chapter, just a bit of rework. Again, feel free to offer feedback and please enjoy.

* * *

**Run Away, Love**

****Written by Amputation

* * *

The sun was remarkably hypocritical the day of the funeral. It shone brightly despite the heavy stench of tears, misery, and dank soil that filled the air. Three coffins stood beside each other, each one encasing a long-snuffed out, once precious life. The ominous, falsely-soothing droning of the priest giving the service was the only sound that echoed through the morbid graveyard. Everyone looked solemn in their black garb. Penny was no exception.

She had been with them in the car when they'd been hit by the drunk driver. She'd been the only one to wear a seatbelt and ultimately, the only one to survive. She remembered everything about the collision; one moment they were all laughing and joking, the next she was screaming and everyone around her was dead. It was so hard to think about.

The consequences of the fateful night showed from under her black dress; bandages around her legs, arms, and forehead. Tears escaped from her bruised and black eyes, trailing down her beaten face. She'd barely come out of it alive as severe internal bleeding was quite literally nearly the death of her. Why she'd put her seatbelt on, she didn't know. It was some subconscious decision, and clearly it had been the right one.

They'd been at a real rodeo in Texas to celebrate their graduation from high school, a trip they were supposed to remember forever. She had been with Michael, her friend Kaylee's boyfriend, Kaylee herself, Duke and his girlfriend, Jasmine. Her best friends she'd adopted after returning to school from that fateful meeting at the train station. Penny bit her split lip in her surge of sadness. This was too much, far too fast.

The ceremony ended shortly, and Penny stood by her friend's mourning parents, wanting nothing more than to curl up into a ball and die herself. How could she live without the support of her friends? Kaylee was going to be a fashion designer, making her gowns for the red carpet. Michael was going to be a director, directing movies for her. Duke was going to be a stuntman, doing stunts for her leading man. Jasmine was going to become a personal agent. Her personal agent. She was going to be the shining actress with all her friends around her, pushing her to the top where they could all celebrate their combined success.

Unfortunately, that would no longer be something she could achieve. She would have to go to L.A. alone and unaware of the trials and tribulations that may lay in her way. As Penny walked to her beat-up red sedan, she contemplated what she would do. She was going to start Community College in a few days, hoping to leave with a degree in hand. It wasn't gonna' be easy, no, it was going to be so painstakingly hard.

Penny pulled into her driveway and turned off her car, simply sitting in the driver's seat, unable to get up and out of the vehicle. Her sorrow had become all-consuming. She couldn't talk to her mother about this. Her father didn't care. Her brother was off making Meth and sleeping with underage girls. Her sister was at college, studying to be a nurse. There was no one. She'd been left alone. Nothing could help her now. Penny leaned her battered forehead against the steering wheel and wept.

She drove. She drove and drove and drove like mad, trying to get to that one spot where she knew she could get solace and peace of mind. It was mechanical as she filled her tank. She had to get there. She had to sit and think. Get over her losses. Mourn the dead and move on. She couldn't allow herself to live in the shadow of such a tragedy for forever. She'd done nothing but cry since their deaths, and it was time to dry her eyes and remember them fondly. She wouldn't let herself succumb to this overwhelming misery. She needed solutions.

He wouldn't be there. It's not like he would be waiting for her. Nonetheless, she'd sit there until she could feel his intelligence and just absorb it—like though that osmosis thing she learned about in biology. He gave her a solution last time, why not again even if he wasn't physically there? Maybe he would be there—she assumed he lived in Texas—, it was summer now. No more classes. He'd be out too. Her heart raced and she breathed deeply, willing her never ending tears to stop flowing.

She pulled into a spot at the station, bolting from the vehicle and running desperately to that distantly familiar platform. A train had just pulled in from California and Penny stood, aching, panting, sweating, and looking; desperately looking for her bench. Finally spotting it, she threw herself down onto the weather-worn wood and letting out a long breath.

People moved around her in a sea, and time seemed to be in fast forward as she sat, unmoving, as the swarm sped along seemingly too fast. It didn't matter. She would sit for an indiscriminate amount of time if only to calm her screaming mind of its hysterics. Penny hung her head, her long blonde hair obscuring her vision.

"Excuse me, but you are in my spot."

Penny's head snapped up as she stared up at a silhouette of a man who was so tall he blotted out the midday sun.

"Um, sorry," she murmured, sliding over to the right, settling herself in the middle of the bench. A long silence stretched between the two of them, the din of the surrounding sea of people slowly diminishing as the crowds dispersed. They were left alone.

"Pardon my inquiry, but social convention dictates that I inquire of your well being," he cleared his throat awkwardly, "Are you alright?"

She glanced at him briefly, "Excuse me?"

"Your face. It is beaten and bandaged. I am merely inquiring of your health."

Penny's breath caught in her throat, the memory she'd momentarily pushed from her mind of the speeding black SUV flashed back lividly.

"I—I know. I was in a car accident," she murmured, begging herself not to cry.

"And that is why I do not drive."

She sighed, continuing on as though he hadn't said anything, "I was the only one who survived the crash. My three best friends died instantly."

A long pause filled the air with silence before he spoke, "How did you crash, if you do not mind my asking?"

"We were hit by a drunk driver. It was a hit and run. I don't think they really even realized they hit us," her voice cracked midway through her explaination.

"And that is another reason for not owning a car, even though I do not drink either. I am underage as well, so that's also a prime point."

She blinked, getting a good look at her companion. His light brown hair was cut short and neatly, his skin was pale under the hot Texas sun, and his eyes were a shade of blue that struck her as too intense. He looked to be about her age.

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"You're a year older than me, then."

He made a noncommittal noise and fell silent. Penny silently mused about this man beside her. He looked remarkably similar to how she assumed her Superman from all those years before would look right about now. But, how could he possibly be the same awkward, adorable boy from all those years ago?

"Did you come off the train?" she asked conversationally.

"Oh yes, I love trains. I'm home for summer break to visit my mother and family. She always insists."

She smiled, he mother would be the same if she went away to school and not just to the community college she'd chosen instead, "Oh, I see. What're you studying? You're home from college, right?"

His blue eyes widened briefly, "Studying? Oh, no. I'm a professor. Theoretical physics at CalTech in California."

"You—You teach? But you're so young!" she was stunned.

He sighed, but whether it was a weary one or one of annoyance she couldn't tell, "I received my second PhD at age seventeen. I have an IQ I have been told is 187, but I believe it cannot accurately be measured by tests."

"So you're one of those beautiful-mind genius guys, huh? That's amazing. You know, you remind me a lot of this boy I met here on this very bench."

He gave her a sidelong glance, "Hm. Coincidence, perhaps?"

Penny fell silent. Her veiled probe had not come up with any evidence that he was her Superman. She sighed, lapsing into a comfortable silence.

"I have a question," she asked suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Do you—do you like Superman?"

He looked at her as though she had two heads, an incredulous look that more than likely was a precursor to him pegging her as a crazy person.

"Of course I do. I own nearly all the Superman comics to date."

Her heart beat wildly against her chest. It had to be him! There were just too many similarities, "I'm sorry, I was just curious. Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"I suppose you may."

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, "I was wondering if you could help me with a problem. You see, I lost the four things that were going to help me reach my future and now I, well, I feel like I'm drowning in, like, a sea of unhappiness. I was wondering if you had any idea on how to—how to move on and push forward without them."

He was silent for a long period of time, and Penny gave up on hoping for an answer when he suddenly spoke.

"Although I have never been in such a situation, perhaps the best solution would be to find new external support and count on your intrinsic strengths to carry you onwards. Although these four things you mentioned previously provided you with strength, in truth you probably possessed that inherent power all along to have drawn them to you. It is also crucial to comprehend that every tragedy has a conclusion and not all are solely negative. If you are able to discover the ability to continue living without extrinsic support, you will succeed."

Penny sat in silence as she absorbed his advice. It had to be the same boy. No, this time he was a man, a wonderful man; a helpful, wonderful man. She smiled to herself.

"Thank you," she whispered, standing from her seat to look down at him, "I'm a long way from home and I suppose I should drive back."

"Where are you from, if you do not mind my inquiry?"

"Nebraska," she replied.

"Good lord! What made you drive all the way here?" His reaction was exactly the same as before.

She smiled, replying with "A whimsy," before swooping down to kiss him fiercely on the lips. Sparks flew through her body for the few milliseconds their lips touched and she forced herself to pull away, her grin even wider.

"Thanks, Superman. I appreciate the advice."

And with that, she bolted back to her car and drove away.

"Shelly? Who was that pretty girl?"

He was silent for a long while before turning to his mother, "Someone I met a very long time ago."

* * *

**A/N: **As always, please review and let me know what you think!


	3. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

******A/N:** Next chapter updated and hopefully better written! Please enjoy and as always, I love feedback so let me know your thoughts!

* * *

**Run Away, Love**

****Written by Amputation

* * *

It was supposed to be a surprise to her recently-moved, best friend, her showing up at Comic Con to be the Power Girl to his Flash in accordance with the super heroine's first adventure. She'd planned everything for months, saving her menial paychecks to afford a room in San Diego. She'd slaved for weeks over the costume: the sleek, white, cleavage-exposing leotard and red tights that would stick to her flesh with sweat and cover her like a second skin. The short red cape that hung from the golden bracket on her left shoulder draped elegantly across her back while that red belt slung across her hips, and the matching blue leather gloves and tall boots were snug and comfortable. Every detail had been painstakingly stitched and put to precise position. It was, quite possibly her best costume she'd ever made and she was going the distance having even cut her beloved long hair to the correct bob length.

She'd been cornered by more than a few super-nerds who wanted to get pictures with her. So she ran away and hid just outside the main convention, suddenly uncomfortable in her costume. She sat away from the chaos roaring inside, her eyes averted and rouge colored lips pouted in frustration.

She'd been unable to find him. She was lost, in a sea of nerds, wearing quite possibly one of the sexiest costumes she'd ever put together. Sighing for the fifth time, she pulled out her beat-up cell phone and dialed his number from her seat on the bench.

_"You have reached Atticus, I'm not here. Leave me a message!"_

Growling at her phone about stupid, nerdy gay best friends who ditch their best girlfriends at Comic Con, she knew she only had herself to blame. After all, he was unaware of her presence. She sighed, sending a text instead.

_"im here at comiccon call me"_

The day thus far had been chaotic at best. She was nervous because she hadn't told Kurt her boyfriend about the trip. About the money. About the whole damn thing. She sighed. He worked as a bouncer, and he pretty much dwarfed her in every sense of the word. She was in no way a tall or big woman, but she could hold her own. She was a Nebraskan, born and bred, after all. Junior Rodeo champ, too. Despite the fact he knew she was strong, he treated her like some sort of blonde doll. Arm candy. She didn't know how to end her bullshitty relationship with him after getting a place to stay, some sort of support in California and the rough world of acting.

He'd pat her on the head like a dog and tell her "oh, don't worry babe. You're hot, you'll land some role eventually, right?" as if it was all about looks. No, no. You had to have talent. Like, mad talent. Talent she wasn't sure she had. And that was why she stayed. Safety; financial safety, after all, Lord knows she could spend like money grew on trees.

Her phone vibrated in her hands and she looked down to see the message.

_"Yo! Didnt know youd be here! Im in the panels and almost done. Will come see you. Where are you?"_

Penny sighed to herself, frantically texting him back her location. She let out a breath as her phone beeped, signaling the sent status of the message and leaned back against the wall, shutting her eyes. Now she had to wait.

The past years had been excruciatingly difficult. Kurt had helped somewhat, but in all truth he was really just something Penny had looked for in a fit of need and sexual frustration after her cable had been cut again. He had satellite. Good upgrade. She rolled her shoulders and leaned forward over the side of the bench, staring down at her altered blue boots. Damn things had sucked up quite a lot of cash to customize. Hmph. That bastard Atticus had better be excited to see her. She smiled to herself and hung her head, allowing her short hair to block her peripheral and frontal vision, creating a spot on the floor before her. He certainly was gonna' get a big hug and kiss from his best girlfriend. It'd been months since they'd last seen each other. She blinked as a pair of red boots invaded the small space of vision provided by her hair and the familiarity of the voice that spoke.

"You're in my spot."

She whipped her head up, staring straight at a tall man in a Superman costume. It looked awkward on such a lanky man and she found herself musing that Kurt would have filled it out better. At first she didn't recognize him, but the blue eyes staring back snapped the memories to the forefront of her mind.

"Superman!" she cheered.

He raised an eyebrow at her as she scooted over in her seat, "Power Girl?" he greeted hesitantly.

"How are you?"

Superman looked a bit confused, "I am well, but do I know you?"

"Oh! Sorry! Do you remember a few years ago, when there was that blonde girl all beat up at the train station? Well, that was me!" she grinned, happiness flooding every pore in her body.

"You!" his beautiful eyes widened as he sputtered before quickly regaining his composure, "I remember. I have an eidetic memory."

She blinked, "Sorry, but what's that mean?"

"I can recall memories of anything with extreme accuracy and volume."

"Huh?"

He sighed, and she realized he was probably not usually this patient with others, "Photographic memory."

"Oh!"

She grinned at him, and he twitched ever so slightly. Her gaze focused on his face, taking in the sharp features that somehow still looked so soft. His jaw line was strong but reserved and his eyes that breathtaking oceanic blue. His hair was gelled in mimicry of Superman's, little curl included. He had sharp cheekbones and a high forehead, probably to hold that giant brain.

"How go your problems, if I may inquire?"

For a moment she'd been confused, "Problems? Oh, yes, they're better, thanks to you."

"I see. That is good, correct?"

"Mmhm. You do have good memory! I bet you remember the first time we met, huh?"

"Yes. I remember everything. You are from Nebraska, correct?"

"Yup. And you? I don't think I asked."

He looked her straight in the face and she watched his eyes as they examined her, "Galveston, Texas."

"Wow! You came a long way."

He shook his head, "No, I work in California, Pasadena specifically. I seem to recall telling you this at our last encounter."

"Oh. I don't quite have as good a memory as you do, it seems."

"It is I who should be saying you traveled a long distance."

Penny laughed, "No! I live here too now!"

"You moved? So far from home?"

"Yeah. I've got dreams, you know?" she replied quietly, gesturing weakly with her hands.

Superman nodded, clasping his hands in his lap and with a discrete examination, Penny realized how long and slender his fingers were. She swallowed.

"Why Superman?"

"Why Power Girl?"

She grinned at their simultaneous questioning, "You first."

"As you wish," he replied, sighing, "It was a bet which I ultimately lost, despite my superior intelligence. Superman is not a favorite."

"Who were you going to be?"

"Batman."

She smiled, "I'll remember that for next time. I should start calling you Batman, huh?"

He nodded at her, his gaze so focused that it caused her cheeks to flush, "Why have you chosen Power Girl as your cosplay?"

"Eh, my best friend did the Flash, and I figured I'd do her. She's blonde and a badass, so it fit. Besides, her first adventure was with the Flash, right?"

"Correct."

She cheered quietly, "Woohoo. I'm a nerd now!"

A quirking of his lips hinted at a smile, "Would you have chosen her without his decision?"

"Hell no! If I had to pick, I'd say I'm a fan of Catwoman."

"Hm. Shall I call you Catwoman instead of Power Girl, then?"

Penny laughed, "Perhaps next time. Hey, can I get a picture of us on my phone?"

"And I with my camera?"

She grinned, nodding. She scooted close to her Superman and snapping a shot of them together to remember. He did the same. As they were examining their photos, she heard someone shout to her.

"Oh my god, girlfriend, you look fierce as hell!"

Her head snapped up to see Atticus running at her in his costume with his boyfriend close behind.

She smiled, turning to her companion, "Well, Superman, looks like we shall have to wait until next time."

She swiftly placed a sensual kiss on his lips, forgetting about Kurt, as the sparks flew through her body, igniting a lust that had long lain dormant. She pulled back, winked, and bounded off to her brother, leaving a stunned and surprisingly content Superman in her wake.

"Sheldon, what the—have you been holding out on us?"

"No, Howard. Power Girl is simply an old," he paused, "friend of mine."

Raj snorted conspiratorially, "Dude that looked like more than friends to me."

"Seriously, Sheldon, who was she?" Leonard probed.

He remained silent, staring down at the cheerful picture he'd taken of the two of them, for he did not know her real name.

* * *

**A/N: **So, that's it for this chapter. Please review!


	4. Conclusion's Fateful Hand

**A/N: **So here's the final chapter reworked. Not too many changes, just a few rewordings here and there. Anyway, enjoy and keep your eyes out for the next chapter of TGDR!

* * *

**Run Away, Love**

Written by Amputation

* * *

She had seen this coming a mile away. She was going back to Nebraska. Acting had failed, no matter how hard she'd tried. She'd lost Kurt, lost Leonard, lost everything. Tears fell uninhibited down her cheeks as she stood out in the rain at her rented truck with her boxes inside, staring up at the building she had called home for so many years. That building filled with so much love and friendships she would dearly miss.

She didn't tell the boys. It just didn't seem like a great idea, she could only imagine what they would do to convince her to stay. She didn't know if she'd survive Raj's puppy eyes, Howard's pleading and possible offers to stay at his mother's house, Leonard's disappointment that was so much like her father's, and Sheldon—oh _god, _Sheldon—she didn't even want to think what he would do or say. As the rain washed away her salty tears, Penny shut her eyes and tried her hardest to let go of what she could easily call the best years of her life.

She needed to talk to someone, that certain someone. But unfortunately, that person was probably unavailable. In all the years she'd been in California, something told her that Superman was close. That thought had comforted her in more situations than one. But now, she felt lost. Lost and alone without her shining Superman to swoop down and offer her advice and console her worries; to save her from her sorrow. But that was so long ago.

She'd even lost the picture she'd taken way back at Comic Con. Her phone hadn't been equipped with a memory card and when she'd gotten her annual upgrade, the image was lost. She could barely remember what he looked like. He had short brown hair. Piercing blue eyes. Incredibly tall. But other details were forgotten. Forgotten and she hated herself for losing something that made her feel so safe.

Superman was someone who'd pulled her out of the darkness when she felt no light could reach her. He was the one who showed her that darkness must be cast by a light, and that no darkness could outshine her light. Tears tumbled down her cheeks, rain water disguising them amongst the trails of shining liquid descended from the skies above. She knew this was goodbye, and it pained her heart to not leave any notice.

As she walked, leaving the suitcases and furniture in the moving truck to be brought to the airport, she thought about her last encounter with her Superman. He had found her at Comic Con, not back in the train station in Texas. Was it possible that he knew where she was at all times? Could he have been some sort of angel? Penny laughed at her childish idea. Of course he wasn't an angel. She wasn't religious, and didn't believe that prospect. But secretly, she wanted it to be true.

Penny looked up to the familiar, looming college building that stood to her left. She didn't bother looking at the nameplate, she knew where she was. In her sorrow, she'd walked to a place where her dear boys worked. Grief and regret filled her to the brim; she should have completed college. She didn't even have an associates' degree, for crying out loud! What would she do back in Nebraska? Become another useless waitress? Penny felt the tears start again as she threw herself down on the soaked wooden bench by the parking lot.

Sobs wracked her drenched body as she hugged herself, her head hanging down towards the ground, her vision blurred by her tears, shrouded by her soaked hair, and smothered by her overwhelming exhaustion.

Elsewhere, a tall, blue eyed genius could tell something was very wrong. Despite all his intelligence, he could not tell why he felt this way. It was similar to the time when he was sixteen at the train station, and when he was nineteen and returning home from CalTech. It was even similar to the last time he'd seen her that fateful year at Comic Con. Looking back, he realized he'd witnessed her growth.

First she'd been a pretty but naïve girl lost in her youth, then a broken woman having lost her dear friends and purpose, and then a blossomed Power Girl, brimming with confidence. He wondered if she was still in California, because something instinctual was telling him she was in need of a hero, knight in shining armor; someone to help her in her desperate time of need. Sheldon knew he should try to listen to the voice in his head pressuring him to find her again. Grumbling, he put down his Expo marker and pulled on his raincoat. He was going to do something to help. Or at least just go back to his apartment and do more work.

Fate, despite his disbelief in it, was on his side it seemed as he exited CalTech into the rain, for there on that unsanitary bench, sat a woman who looked very similar to his Power Girl. He hurried forward, a sudden sense of urgency coming over him.

"Power Girl?" his voice was softer and more urgent than he'd ever heard it.

The blonde woman looked up, some of her hair obscuring her face, "S-Superman?"

He felt a smile spread on his face, and Power Girl began sobbing anew. Sheldon hesitantly placed a hand on her back, unsure as to what he was doing and simply operating on long-suppressed instinct.

"Tell me, what ails you now?"

She shivered and snuggled closer to him. Sheldon stiffened, but realized this was his Power Girl, the woman he'd let kiss him and touch him three times before, the woman of whom he kept a picture of on his desk at work. The woman who haunted his dreams and made him feel warm inside. His body relaxed.

"I-I have to leave," she paused to choke back a sob, "I failed what I came here to do."

"And that was?" he prodded.

Power Girl gripped his raincoat, the slick Batman symbol shining as the fabric bunched in her small fingers.

"A-acting. I came to act," she paused again to shiver, "it was my dream. You remember, t-the friends I lost in the car accident?"

"Yes, I do recall you telling me such."

"W-well, we were gonna' do it t-together, but I-I've failed them," another sob, "cause I can't do it myself."

Her small body shook as she cried, and Sheldon breathed deeply to collect his thoughts. The scent of her shampoo struck him as familiar, but he dismissed such a strange déjà vu as many women use the same shampoo brands.

"Why have you given up now?"

"It's been too l-long. There's no hope now. I-I can't afford my apartment now."

"I think you should give it another try."

She looked at him with fogged green eyes that poked through her soaked hair.

"Why?" she breathed.

Sheldon smiled at her, "You should try again because maybe you are trying for the wrong role. I can see you as a strong heroine, boldly standing for what she believes in and for her friends. Maybe you should try an action film, or a romantic movie. You could fill the heroine role well in either of the two."

"I-I see," she murmured, pausing to look down at her feet, "perhaps I should try, but why would they want me? I'm too 'Nebraska' for many roles," she trailed off.

The phrase sent warning lights off in his mind, but he pushed through them for once ignoring the signals that sent him in the right directions.

"A friend of mine used to say the same thing; this infuriating woman who lives across the hall. And frankly, despite her exasperating habits, I find her to be incredibly talented and remarkable. I believe that you, too, have the same potential. Do not give up."

She looked up at him again, and her green eyes pierced his soul. Although they were still fogged, he could instantly tell who she was. His amazing Power Girl had inadvertently revealed her secret identity.

"Who are you, Superman? I've—I've wanted to know for so long. You-You've always been there for me, especially when it was bad. Who are you, and how are you so perfect?"

"No one is perfect, not even Superman. We all have our own brand of kryptonite, and you just happen to be mine."

Penny laughed, and in that short moment she looked beautiful. Her glistening skin, thrown back head, soaked hair flailing about. Breathtaking. But her words made his usually impassive heart soar.

"A special friend of mine would have said something so similar. I-I regret having to leave without telling him."

Sheldon was confused, "Telling him what?"

Penny breathed out slowly, "That I think that I-I might have fallen in love with him."

The world stopped spinning.

Penny didn't know why she was telling Superman all of this. She just felt at such ease with him and it surprised her. She never felt like this with any of her other boyfriends, but then again, the kisses she'd given him were the most powerful she'd ever felt. It shook her to the core how _familiar_ he felt this time. Almost like he'd been there all those years when she'd really needed him, as though he'd been a friend that she'd relied on and spent an absurd amount of time with.

"I think he loves you too."

She glanced at him again, his brilliantly blue eyes shining through her tear-and-exhaustion-induced haze so clearly her heart almost stopped.

"H-how do you figure?"

He smiled softly, a gesture so gentle and heartbreakingly sad she almost started crying again from the sheer emotion it held behind it.

"I will tell you how I know," he said, wiping some tears from her face with his thumb. It was soft against her skin.

"You are beautiful in every possible meaning of the word. You are kind, and do not judge others from all my perceptions of you. You are nurturing and gentle, but can control a room with a single look. You have shined light into the lives of many and assisted in many endeavors without a thought to your own benefit. I ought to know."

"W-what?"

He smiled again, so heart-wrenchingly melancholy, "Do you want to know who I am?"

"Y-Yes," Penny started, "I would, very much. You've haunted me for so long—Superman, who are you, really?"

"I am but a simple man from Galveston, Texas. You could say a child prodigy, a genius who moved on to become a teenage professor," he paused, brushing some hair behind her ear with a tenderness that made her knees quiver, "I am a comic book aficionado. I do believe you actually already know my name, but if you need a reminder, it is Sheldon Lee Cooper, and I am the same sixteen year old boy from the train station. The same boy who received his first kisses from you all those years ago."

Penny felt like she couldn't breathe. He really _had_ been there all those years! She should have recognized the similarities! How could she have been so stupid?

"S-Sheldon? Oh god, please don't say bazinga!"

"There's no joke here, Penny. And I'm sure Leonard would be overjoyed to know that you love him."

She stared at him, wide eyed. He—she couldn't finish her thoughts. Turning abruptly, she shivered from lack of his delicious warmth and started off towards her initial destination. Tears fell anew. He didn't love her. How could she be so dense as to believe he'd harbor affection towards her?

"Penny!" a hand caught her wrist, long fingers elegantly enclosing the joint, "Please, don't go!"

"Why not?" she cried, "I've got nothing left here!"

His expression was so pained she began to cry harder at the sight, "You have me!"

"Sheldon, how could you lie to me?"

"I didn't know it was you. I thought my Power Girl was gone."

Penny bit her lip, turning toward him, "I-I thought my Superman was gone."

"I'm never going again. No more running."

She smiled, "Okay. I won't run anymore."

The kiss they shared was like all the others combined; in simpler words, perfect. Funny how running away can show you love in the strangest places.

_Finis_

* * *

**A/N: **Please review and let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!


End file.
